Hit-and-Run Driver Pleads Guilty to All Charges
Emma Tapia-Gonzalez entered a guilty plea to charges of felony hit and run and driving without a license after she hit and severely injured a 12-year-old last week.
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The driver in a hit-and-run that seriously injured a 12-year-old Clifton Middle School student last week pleaded guilty to all charges Tuesday, according to a court clerk.
Emma Tapia-Gonzalez appeared in Pasadena Superior Court Tuesday and entered a guilty plea on charges of felony hit-and-run, driving without a license, and driving without proof of registration, the Dept. D court clerk said.
The 23-year-old Duarte resident is due back in court for sentencing on Mar. 2, according to the clerk. She was released on her own recognizance pending sentencing, according to sheriff's booking records.
Tapia-Gonzalez is being represented by public defender Steven Schoenfield, the clerk said. A message left at Schoenfield's office was not immediately returned.
Jennifer Gates, the principal at Clifton, said Tuesday that the victim remains in stable condition and is "showing signs of improvement." She was struck by a car while crossing the street at the intersection of Canyon Boulevard and Huntington Drive on Friday.
Police were able to track down Tapia-Gonzalez after a witness provided a partial license plate of her vehicle. She was arrested at her home in Duarte hours after the incident occurred.
Kelly
5:15 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wow, she plead guilty, Glad to hear. So happy the girl is improving.
R Terry
5:20 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The plea might give her a break on the sentence and it would be hard to come up with an excuse as to why she left the scene. We haven't heard details of how she happened to hit the girl...but some excuse may be dreamed up for that to make her sound less careless.
Dan Crandell
7:44 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Now the car should be crushed and melded down. We will be watching this closely.
Robert Parry
8:17 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I don't think I've ever heard of anyone pleading guilty to a felony at an arraignment like that. Very odd.
On a some-what related note. Unlicensed driver? Really? You don't say. ATTENTION CHARLIE BECK!
Dan Crandell
9:06 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
She played Let's Make Deal ... Even this story won't get ATTENTION from beck. He's to enbedded with villar.
chaz614
9:19 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Glad they caught the Driver
Alec Dawson
3:03 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
She shouldn't have been released, she's a flight risk, clearly she will abandon the court proceedings as she abandoned the hit and run scene. There should be a boycott against Taco Bell by Albersons and call fir her resignation. Court documents show she is not legally documented in the u.s.a...therefore should not be employed or legally eligible to work in the u.s., Taco bell is clearly in violation of federal employment laws.
Maia
1:42 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
I checked on the L.A. Sherrif's website and it said that the charge against this person is a MISDEMEANOR ????
Alec Dawson
4:37 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Wow Maia that's a shame to hear, abandoning the scene of a crime & a hit and run should not have been dropped to a misdemeanor and should stay as a felony. This sends out the wrong message to other hit & run criminals. Shame on judge Terry of Pasadena Superior Court.
Alec Dawson
2:50 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Can someone update on her sentencing this past Friday